Draft attachment for furnaces and the like



Jan. 30, 1934. 1,944,984

G. H. KLPPEL DRAFT ATTACHMENT FOR FURNACES AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 17, 1931 wlw-@ww u; l It IJIII 1' MILL ATTORNEYS,

Jan. 30, 1934. G. H. KLIPPEL DRAFT ATTACHMENT FOR FURNACES AND THE LIKE Filed July 17, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 3o,41934 UNITED STATES ATNT OFFICE DRAFT ATTACHMENT FR FURNACES AND' THE LIKE 9y Claims.

This invention relates to draft attachments for furnaces and the like, and has for its object, a particularly simple and efcient attachment which can be readily applied to the furnace, and

in which a portion thereof is carried by a door, as the ash pit door of the furnace, and is movable with the door relatively to another portion of the attachment, including a blower and actuator therefor, so that the door can be opened and closed, and in so doing carrying only a relatively small portion of the attachment therewith.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of this attachment, the contiguous portion of a furnace being also shown.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan View, partly in section, on a reduced scale.

Figure 3 is a detail view illustrating the joint between the outlet pipe and the blower, and the inlet pipe of the portion of the draft attachment fixed to the door.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary face View of a furnace door and contiguous part of the furnace.

1 designates a furnace, which may be of any suitable form, size and construction. 2 is a hinged door, as the ash pit door of the furnace, this having a draft opening as 3 therein. The draft opening is usually closed by a damper or flap and when the attachment is applied, the damper or flap is removed.

This draft attachment comprises a unit fixed to the door in line with the draft opening and having an air inlet pipe, and a power blower unit fixed from movement with the door and preferably supported on the floor adjacent the furnace and out of the space directly in front of the door, the blower unit having an outlet pipe normally in alinement with the inlet pipe of the unit fixed to the door, these pipes being arranged end to end and their ends being so arranged that the door can be opened and closed, and the inlet pipe attached thereto will automatically move out of and into alinement with the pipe of the blower unit.

The invention also includes means by which the angles of the pipes can be adjusted or varied to suit varying conditions, such as variations in the level of the floor on which the blower unit is mounted. The pipes are usually arranged so that their abutting end edges are inclined slightly out of a vertical plane in order that the pipe on the door may drop in snug engagement with the pipe of the blower unit when the door latches, and move clear of the pipe of the blower unit when the door is unlatched.

The unit attached to the door comprises a bodv 10 having means for attaching it to the door 2, and an inlet pipe 11 connected to the body 10 by means permitting the adjustment thereof into various angles. The body 10 is of such shape as to cover the opening 3 in the door and is secured in position by clamping bolts 12 extending through iianges 13 on the body and through the door opening 3, and into vertical bars 14, the ends of which engage the inner face of the door and nuts 15 on the bolts. A suitablel plate 16 may be inserted between the base flanges 13 and the face of the door. The passage of the body lll is thus alined with the door opening 3. The plate 16 is also provided with a suitable opening in line with the door opening 3.

The air inlet pipe 11 is here shown as connected to the body 10 by a universal joint, the body l0 being formed with a substantially spherical socket, and the pipe il with a complemental hollow ball '17 fitting vthe socket, and the ball is clamped in position by means of clamping bolts 18 and nuts i9, the bolts extending through a ring 20 tting on the ball and through an external annular flange 2l on the socket l0. The pipe 11 is shown as formed with a laterally extending angular portion 22.

25 designates generally the blower unit, this including a suitable casing 26 having a fan or blower 27 therein, an outlet pipe 28 leading from the casing, and a motor 29 connected to the fan or blower 27, and a base 30 on which the fan and its motor are adjustably mounted.

The pipes 22 and 28 are normally arranged end to end, or in alinement and their abutting edges incline slightly out of a vertical plane. The pipes 28 and 22, when fitted together, are arranged slightly inclined out of the horizontal and as their end edges are in a plane normal to the inclined axes of the pipes, the edge 31 of the pipe 28 inclines downward and outward from the blower out of the vertical plane, while the abutting edge of the pipe 22 inclines in the opposite direction. One of these pipes is provided at its ends with means for sealing the joint between the pipes. As here shown, the pipe 22 is formed with a bell 33 for receiving a gasket 34 of any suitable material.

Usually ash pit doors latch in closed position and have a slight upward movement as they approach closed position and then, a downward movement into latched position in order to engage a lug or shoulder at the free end of the door in a notch on a lug projecting from the frame of the door. The abutting ends of the pipes 28 and 22 are inclined in order that they may come into fairly snug engagement during such movements of the door as the door approaches closed position and moves completely into closed position, and reverse of this movement as the door is unlatched.

The base 30 of the motor unit is preferably a tripod, the legs of which are provided with suitable prongs for entering the iloor of the cellar. rIhe motor 29 and fan housing 26 are mount-- ed on a suitable table or platform 41 which is adjustably mounted on the base 30 into various angles for the purpose of locating the outlet pipe 28 in proper relation to the inlet pipe 22. In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the table 41 is mounted on the base 30 by a universal joint, here shown as a ball 42 on the table tting a complemental socket 43 on the base 30, these being held in their adjusted position by means of a bolt 44 extending through a partly spherical plate 45 within the ball and through the socket 43 and a nut 46 at its lower end of the bolt.

The intake opening of the fan housing 26 is covered by a cowl 47 having a suitable adjustable damper 48 therein, the cowl being open at its lower side for the inlet of air.

The damper or flap on the furnace door 2 is removed and the unit 16 applied by means of the 35 bolts 12 and bars 14. The air intake pipe 11 is then adjusted to the proper angle and clamped in proper position by reason of the ball and socket joint. The blower unit is then located at one side of the space in front of the ash pit door, and the universal joint between the platform 41 and base 30 adjusted so that the outlet pipe 28 will meet the inlet end of the pipe 1l, or the lateral extension 22 thereof, these pipes being adjusted to the proper angle so that they will closely fit together by the latching movement of the door and will separate by the upward unlatching movement of the door, the angle of the pipe 28 being adjusted by varying the angle of the ball and socket joint between the table 41 and the base 30. In operation, when the ash pit door is closed, the current of air from the blower passes through the pipes 28 and 22 through the ball and socket joint 10 to the opening in the ash pit door and up through the grate and fuel thus supplying oxygen or air to support combustion. To remove the ashes, the ash pit door is swung open on its hinges in the direction of the arrows (Figure 2), thus carrying the parts 10, 17, 11 and 22 therewith, moving the pipe 22 endwise and separating it from the abutting end of the outlet pipe 28 of the blower. Upon closing the door, the pipes 22 and 28 again come into abutting and sealing relation.

This attachment is comparatively simple and can be furnished and applied to any furnace at a small cost, and the ash pit can be opened and closed, as the blower unit is at one side of the space in front of the furnace and hence, does not interfere with removal of ashes, or with stoking the furnace.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a hinged door of a furnace, which door has a draft opening therein, of. a draft attachment comprising a unit fixed to the door and having an air inlet pipe, and a xed blower. unit. having an outlet pipe for communicating with the inlet pipe of the former unit, said units being located so that upon opening and closing of the door, the air inlet pipe of the unit carried by the door moves endwise out of and into abutting relation with the outlet pipe of the blower unit, said pipes having means at their abutting ends for engaging and disengaging them at their abutting ends upon the opening and closing movement of the door.

2. The combination with a hinged door of a furnace, which door has a draft opening therein,

of a draft attachment comprising a unit fixed to the door and having an air inlet pipe, a fixed blower unit having an outlet pipe for communicating with the inlet pipe of the former unit, said pipes having their abutting ends complementally inclined out of the vertical, the outlet pipe of the blower unit being inclined from its upper side downwardly and outwardly away from the blower unit and the abutting end of the inlet pipe of the unit fixed to the blower being complementally inclined, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with a hinged door of a furnace, which door has a draft opening therein, of a draft attachment comprising a unit fixed to the door and having an air inlet pipe, and a fixed blower unit having an outlet pipe for communicating with the inlet pipe of the former unit, said pipes having their abutting ends complementally inclined out of the vertical, the outlet pipe of the blower unit being inclined from its upper side downwardly and outwardly away from the blower unit and the abutting end of the inlet pipe of the unit fixed to theV blower being complementally inclined for the purpose set forth, and one of said pipes having, means at its end for sealing the joint between the pipes when said pipes are in alinement.

4. The combination with a hinged door of a furnace, which door has a draft opening, of a draft attachment comprising a unit including a body iixed to the door, and a blower unit xed from movement with the door and arranged out of the space in front of the door, said units including pipes normally arranged end to end and the pipe of the unit carried by the door being movable endwise relatively to the, pipe carried by the blower unit into and out of abutting relation thereto during closing and opening movement of the door.

5. The combination with a hinged door of a furnace, which door has a draft opening, of a draft attachment comprising a unit including a body fixed to the door, and a blower unit fixed from movement with the door and arranged out of the space in front of the door, said units including pipes normally arranged. end toend and the pipe of the unit carried by the door being movable endwise into and out of abutting relation to the pipe of the blower upon the opening and closing movement of the door, the unit fixed to the door including a body section and a pipe section adjustable relatively thereto into different angles.

6. The combination with a hinged door of a` furnace, which door has a draft opening, of a draft attachment comprising a unit including a body fixed to the door, and a blower unit xed from movement with the door and arranged out of the space in front of the door, said units including pipes normally arranged in alinement and movable out of and into alinement upon the opening and closing movement of the door, the unit fixed to the door comprising a body section, and a pipesection connected to the body section by a universal joint, and means for holding the joint in any one of a plurality of positions.

7. The combination with a hinged door of a furnace, which door 'has a draft opening, of a draft attachment comprising a unit fixed to the door, and a blower unit fixed from movement with the door, said units having coasting air pipes arranged to come into and out of alinement during closing and opening of the door, the blower unit comprising a base mountable on the oor, and a platform for supporting the blower and motor therefor, and universal joint means between the base and the platform.

8. The combination with a hinged door of a furnace, which door has a draft opening, of a draft attachment comprising a unit fixed to the door, and a blower unit xed from movement with the door, said units having coacting air pipes arranged to come into and out of alinement during closing and opening of the door, the unit attached to the door including a pipe movable endwise during opening and closing of the door out of and into abutting relation with the blower pipe and adjustable to different angles, and the blower unit including a pipe for communicating with the former pipe section, the blower unit including means for adjusting its pipe section into different angles to conform to the angle of the pipe section onthe door.

9. The combination with a hinged door of a furnace, which door has a draft opening therein, of a draft attachment comprising a unit fixed to the door, and a blower unit fixed from movement with the door, the rst unit comprising an air inlet pipe having a laterally extending end portion, said pipe being adjustable relatively to the door into a plurality of angular positions and the blower unit being located out of the space in front of the door and including means for adjusting the angle of the pipe thereof to conform to the angle of the pipe of the unit fixed to the door, the angular portion of the pipe of the unit carried by the door being movable endwise into and out of abutting relation to the blower pipe during opening and closing of the door.

GEORGE H. KLIPPEL. 

